Time to pull on sweaters. Dig out a favorite scarf. Stack kindling and firewood. Choose a new book to love (I am reading Mink River by Brian Doyle- a lovely, lyrical, michievous book infused with Irish-American sensibility and Salish stories).

And best of all, it is finally time- for pumpkin lovers everywhere- to fill the pantry shelves with tins of our favorite curcurbit. Because, Dear Reader... it's time to bake. And I have a fabulous, flavorful, autumn-worthy gluten-free pumpkin bread recipe for you.

A huge, gorgeous pumpkin loaf.

Enjoy warm from the oven, with butter or cream cheese. Or make it ahead: Bake it. Wrap it. Freeze it.

Line a large loaf pan - preferably a 9-inch ceramic loaf pan- with a piece of parchment paper; the length of the parchment should be above both sides, with enough to grip (this makes it super easy to get the baked loaf out of the pan).

Add in the oil, egg, pumpkin and vanilla. Beat for two minutes till the batter is smooth and fluffy.

Fold in the walnuts by hand, using a big spoon or spatula.

Scoop the batter into the lined loaf pan. Smooth out the top. Add a few walnut halves for decoration, if desired.

Feel the pan. If the batter feels cold- allow it to rest for a few minutes and come up to room temperature- this will help with the rise.

Place the pan in the center of the oven and set the timer for 15 minutes.

At 15 minutes, lower the temperature to 350ºF. Bake for 45 to 55 more minutes, until the top is firm and set, and a cake tester inserted into the center emerges clean.

*This is a large loaf- so it takes a good hour, at least, to bake. Every oven is different, and if you are baking in hot weather, your loaf may cook through faster than mine did. As always- keep an eye on it. Test. And get to know your oven (does it run a tad warm- or cool?).

Cool on a wire rack. When the loaf has cooled, loosen the end edges with a thin knife; grip the parchment to gently lift the loaf onto a cutting board.

Remember- a warm loaf is a fragile loaf.

Slice with a serrated bread knife. We grilled our leftover slices in a dab of vegan butter.

I froze half the loaf to have on hand. It freezes beautifully. This would be lovely to make ahead for Thanksgiving.

Makes a large 9-inch loaf.

Recipe Source: glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com

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Gluten-free pumpkin bread studded with walnuts.

GFG Notes:

I prefer sorghum flour for its soft texture. If you must substitute, perhaps millet flour or certified gluten-free oat flour would be a good choice- if your family eats gluten-free oats (not every celiac can handle oats). I am shying away from brown rice flour for several reasons- including the latest info on arsenic levels in brown rice. If you choose to sub with brown rice flour, the result may be a tad crumbly.

For those not using hazelnut flour, try almond flour or chestnut flour.

I imagine this might work without eggs, but using a replacer may produce a tougher, or denser loaf- and need a different baking time. See my vegan tea bread recipes for guidance.

Option: Cut walnuts to one half cup (or omit). Add in one half cup of dried cherries or cranberries for extra holiday flair.